Bomb suspect threatens to sue over extradition

FORMER British soldier and suspected IRA bomber Michael Dickson has threatened to sue the Czech authorities over his extradition to Germany to face terrorism charges.

Scottish-born Dickson, 38, was extradited yesterday amid high security at the Rozvadov-Weidhaus border crossing.

Dickson was locked in an armoured vehicle flanked by police escort cars and dozens of armed officers. He was handed over to the German police at dawn.

He is to stand trial in Germany in connection with an IRA mortar bomb attack on the Quebec Barracks in Osnabruck, the Ministry of Defence’s largest base outside of Britain, on June 28, 1996.

German anti-terrorist police believe Dickson was the leader of the gang of five which fired three grenades at the base from the back of a lorry.

There were about 150 soldiers in the barracks at the time, but no one was injured. Under Czech law, Dickson could have been prosecuted for endangering public safety, in Germany he will face terrorist charges.

The former Royal Engineer, who once served in Osnabruck, insists he is innocent and was never in the IRA.

He says his only link to the attack is an admission he hired two vans which he believed would be used for cigarette smuggling.

He said: “I hired two vans for moving cigarettes. I thought that was it. I was used.”

Dickinson believes the German extradition request was orchestrated by British authorities who feared if they made the arrest themselves, the Good Friday Agreement would be jeopardised. He claimed: “The Government had a big say. It was stage-managed.”

Dickson is also wanted for questioning in connection with the IRA bombing of Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, Co Down, also in 1996.

Military intelligence say he provided security details to terrorists who smuggled two car bombs into the top-security base. One soldier was killed and 34 civilians, including children, injured.